This file contains links to other files

[chaopoch]

I don't know what happened the following message always pops out when I open my Calc document, any way to disable it? thanks.

"This file contains links to other files, Should they be updated?"

[acknak]

There's no way to disable the message; it's telling you that something in your sheet depends on information stored in a different document, possibly something on the Internet.

You can see what the links are by going to Edit > Links. If there are links listed there that you don't need, you can "break" them from there and then the message won't appear again.

[JohnV]

If you in fact have links and you want them updated without the message try Tools > Options > Calc > General - Updating = Always.

I have not tried this but I assume it avoids the message.

[Villeroy]

If you in fact have links and you want them updated without the message try Tools > Options > Calc > General - Updating = Always.

I have not tried this but I assume it avoids the message.

What is best depends on the type of link. If you are sure that the linked file is always availlable, then "Updating=Always" may be the best setting.
If you got this single file from someone, it might be a bad idea to refresh a link to an unavaillable resource. Then "Updating=Never" is the setting you want in order to keep the imported data as is. This affects only the behaviour on open. You can still update links manually in the Edit>Links... dialog.

Are there any database ranges defined in menu:Data>Define...? Such a range may be linked to a data source and behaves slightly differently.

[chaopoch]

Thanks for all replies.

...You can see what the links are by going to Edit > Links. If there are links listed there that you don't need, you can "break" them from there and then the message won't appear again.

I find there is link in the Edit>Links, but the source file is unreal, I can not find it anywhere, I 'Break' it, but next time I open the document, the message appears again, and the unreal link comes back.

...Are there any database ranges defined in menu:Data>Define...? Such a range may be linked to a data source and behaves slightly differently.

No database range is defined.

[acknak]

I find there is link in the Edit>Links, but the source file is unreal, I can not find it anywhere...

The file you are working with, that gives you the message, did you create it, or did someone else send it to you?

If someone else created the file and then sent it to you, then it may contain a link to a file that does not exist on your computer. You should just cancel the offer to update. You can turn off the update (or set it to "manual" update), as Villeroy already described above, from the Edit > Links dialog window.

[Villeroy]

Things are far too complicated since there are 5 different ways to link spreadsheet content between files, each with its own merits.
When you break a link, this has no effect on formulas.

1+2) Both types of formulas ...
='file:///path/doc.ods'#$Sheet.$A$1
=DDE("soffice";"C:\path\doc.ods";"$Sheet.$A$1")
... won't be deleted when we break the links and both types of formulas establish a new connection on the fly when you enter them or when they recalculate do do what they are written for.
The only way to unlink them is finding all the formulas (and possibly named expressions) and then convert formulas to constant data (copy&paste-special values).

Both types of data import:
3) menu:Insert>Sheet From File... with link option
4) menu:Insert>Link to external data
... both import some range of data without recalculating formulas and we can break the links easily.

5) Linked import ranges from databases (Data>Define.../Data>Refresh) may ask for update when they are set up to not save the data copy in the spreadsheet. Then you are prompted to pull the current data from the source every time you load the spreadsheet. This can be unlinked by simply deleting the entry in menu:Data>Define... This keeps the imported cell range as is.

[MikeAllen]

Both types of formulas ...
='file:///path/doc.ods'#$Sheet.$A$1
The only way to unlink them is finding all the formulas (and possibly named expressions) and then convert formulas to constant data (copy&paste-special values).

This describes exactly what I have. Now when I try to find a formula pattern that starts with

=file:///C:/Users

OR

='file:///C:/Users

in all of the sheets of the concerned file, I come back with nothing. When I search for all formula-containing cells, I get the "calculated content" of the cell and not the actual formula there so I can go ahead and delete/replace it with the proper cell content.

First off, I don't know how this file got corrupted in this manner (it's mine and I didn't receive it from an outside source, and now it's trying to reference a bogus file somewhere in a path that doesn't exist on my computer, but admittedly this happened after a non graceful shut down and a "successful" recovery attempt by OpenOffice)

Second, and more important, how can I search for the problem cells with these formulas referencing that outside file so I can update them?

Thanks.
Mike

[RusselB]

Manually make a note of the file(s) referenced in the link(s) then do a Ctrl+F searching for the filename you noted.
I also suggest using the More Options section and ensure that, with the possible exception of Search in All Sheets, everything is unchecked.
If you only have one sheet, then you can leave that exception unchecked also. If you have multiple sheets, then I recommend having that one checked.
Additionally, ensure that the Search in dropbox is set for Formulas
You can find each occurrence one at a time or use the Find All to find & highlight every match

[opensezame]

None of this works
still get the message on opening

[Alex1]

I've had files which still displayed this message, even after deleting all links. Copying its contents to a new file solved the problem.